10.
@MENTION PATTERNS
• Large volume of @mentions of the @pontifex account
– Flat activity distribution: lead users contribute relatively little
– Commenting rather than information sharing:
• Very small percentage of tweets containing URLs
• Smallish percentage of retweets
• Very few retweets especially by most active users –
the long tail of participants contributes the most retweets
– More activity around Benedict XVI‟s resignation than Francis‟s
election and inauguration

11.
ENGAGEMENT AND RESONANCE
• Further qualitative investigation:
– Most active and most visible users (top 30):
• Active = number of tweets sent mentioning @pontifex
• Visible = @mentioned in tweets also mentioning @pontifex
– Qualitative examination of:
• User profile (as of mid-2013)
• Tweets sent or @mentioned in
– Development of preliminary categories for users and tweets
– Tweets/profiles in languages other than English ignored unless
intelligible to the researchers

19.
TOP 30 @REPLIERS – THEMES
• Mixed:
– critical of pomp and glory of church / rituals, but supportive of
religion as such
@pontifex #askpontifex #catholic #cardinals look at you
#costumes #pride #circus #hypocrit #control you will
elect one of your own? #disgust
(seventh most active @replier, 1 Mar.)

21.
TOP 30 @REPLIERS – THEMES
• Obsessive / unhinged:
– extreme religiosity; seeking direct contact with Pope/God
[1:] @Pontifex let me tell you a story ... In 2007 I was sitting at school at
Gannon university next to the statue of Jesus teaching
[2:] the whole worlds weight fell on my shoulders I felt the burden of
faith fall in my lap and it was hard to do at that time
[3:] I have been matured and humbled from then it was an ephifiney I
knew what I had to do and now I know how to do it in 2013
[4:] I have come out of the weeds to save the human race once again
in the likeness of the beginning and the end shall nevermore
[5:] that's the light that is in the free drawing I heard from the bloody red
sea of souls
(14th most active @replier, 10 Mar.)

23.
TOP 30 @REPLIERS – ENGAGEMENT
Who engages?
• More supporters than critics, especially during first phase
(Benedict XVI resignation)
•
Peaceful thankyous and goodbyes
• More mixed feelings in second phase
(sede vacante and Francis‟s election and inauguration)
•
Uncertainty, fear of change
• More obsessive / unhinged @mentions in second phase
• Are the Top 30 representative?

30.
TOP 30 RECIPIENTS –
SENTIMENTS AND ATTITUDES
• Funny:
– Comedian
– Pro
@Pontifex I'll miss you bro. A lot of popes suck, but you were cool.
And fuck me if you're not the best dancer to ever wear that silly hat.
(@robdelaney, 28 Feb)

31.
TOP 30 RECIPIENTS –
SENTIMENTS AND ATTITUDES
• Funny:
– Parody account
– Anti
I forced @Pontifex to resign when I learned that he had abused
Vatican altar boys who were only 53. #cradlerobber.
(@almightygod, 11 Feb)